Dare You To Jump
by Inkblot and Winged Things
Summary: AU What would you do if the only company you truly trusted were the voices in your head? What would you do if they slowly began to drive you insane? Kenshin-centric.
1. Prologue

**Inkblot:** Hiya! This particular story was inspired by fitz2's Life's a Dance and a picture i was drawing of Battousai. However, the story is completely mine.

**Disclaimer:** No, I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. If I did, Battousai would make more appearances and be dressed in leather. Black leather. And he would be mine. licks fangs

**Dare You To Jump**

**Prologue **

Kenshin had three other people living in his head with him. He really didn't know how the hell they got there, but pretty soon, he had a bunch of voices arguing in his head about the strangest things, from clothes to hairstyles to what to watch on TV. He didn't mind it really, gladly letting the voices have their say in his life, because more than anything, Kenshin didn't want to be alone.

Sure, the voices ground on his nerves a bit. After all, the fights between Rurouni and Battousai tended to be spectacular and rather loud. But at those times, Shinta and Kenshin would watch them with something akin to amusement. It was in the nature of the two to go at it like anything and it provided hours of soap opera like entertainment.

Pretty soon, Kenshin began to put the voices with images. Battousai was the closest in age to Kenshin himself. They were both eighteen, but the red head couldn't remember if he'd ever been as frigid as Battousai was on a regular basis. The hitokiri, or what Kenshin classified him as, was an entity unto himself.

Battousai had been a killer.

He had the faintest smell of leather and metal and blood about him, mixed in with a wisp of smoke from the fires burning high and hot. (Kenshin had no idea how he got stuck with him) The other voices were slightly afraid of him, even Rurouni. His clear, empty eyes were chilling, the purest shade of amber that Kenshin had ever seen.

Rurouni was even more unpredictable than Battousai. While the hitokiri was generally an ass, Rurouni could switch moods like a menstrual girl. One minute he was a gentle as lamb and the next he was deliberately picking a fight with Battousai. That was okay though, because both Kenshin and Shinta loved him anyway. And Rurouni, on his part, protected the both of them when Battousai's moods became steadily fouler and more irate.

Shinta was approximately five years old and everybody loved him, even Battousai in his odd way. He was the only one who could calm the rest of them down. However, he was still a child and often cried whenever anybody mentioned their dead parents.

That only left Kenshin. Himura Kenshin was average, except for what he began to think was MPD, or Multiple Personality Disorder. He was Japanese, though his flame bright hair made most think he was Irish instead of Asian. He was eighteen and had a strange fascination with his sakabatou. At school he was rather average, except that he excelled at Math. Numbers were simple to him. He had friends, fun, and an uncle who really couldn't care what he did as long as he didn't kill himself.

No one knew about his other personalities, and he never planned on telling anyone. Problems in the head stayed firmly _in_ the head, no ifs, ands, or buts. Or so he thought. That is, until a certain Kamiya Kaoru showed up in his life.

**finis**

**Inkblot:** Hope you liked it! Other chapters will come in soon, I hope. chuckles nervously Yeah...about that....Anyways, please kindly leave me a review!


	2. Chapter One: Equilibrium

**Inkblot: **Sooo, I made it to the first chapter. XD. That's a good thing. I modeled this scene after something that I imagined happening in my high school. Something crazy like this would definitely happen where I go. Lol.

Thanks to **shadow61x** for her (?) lovely review. It's nice to know someone _does_ care about a prologue. .

**Disclaimer:** Don't own it, wish I did. Then Kaoru wouldn't be quite so annoying.

**Dare You To Jump**

**Chapter One:**

BAM! Kaoru's head spun as she felt the world slipping past her and the ground rushing up to meet her. Her forehead ached abysmally and she resigned herself to a sore bum and a raging headache even as the hard, tiled floors of her high school approached her faster and faster. She instructed herself not to care.

It was hardly her fault that she was clumsy.

She squeezed her eyes shut and hoped to God that it wouldn't hurt _too_ badly. The resounding THWACK of body hitting tiles and pain never came. It was only then that she realized that yes, there were a pair of hands wrapped around her waist and that she had indeed stopped falling. The hands held her up easily, and the girl traced the hands to arms, the arms to shoulders and neck, and finally, to a face.

Large violet eyes examined her curiously, shadowed by a fall of fiery hair. Kaoru stared right back, and she and the stranger with the cross-shaped scar regarded each other for the longest time. The girl blinked suddenly, just realizing that she was still held in the red head's arms and that more than a minute had passed. She could feel her face heating up.

She scrambled out of the loose embrace as the boy snapped out his trance and blushed, and Kaoru felt her heart melt. _Awww, he's so cute!_ She giggled and dusted herself off, glancing sidelong at the stranger as he fidgeted with his hands. He looked so adorable and lonely, like a poor lost little soul. "Thank you," she said finally, allowing herself to look him straight in the eye. "I can't tell you how many times I've run into people." She smiled apologetically. "I'm rather clumsy."

The strange eyes snapped to her face, called out his uncomfortable study of the floor. "It's quite alright," the boy replied lightly, voice surprisingly soft and comforting. It was a voice Kaoru could listen to all day. It seemed made for speeches and poetry and romance. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

Kaoru smiled again, somewhat surprised that he was so polite. Many people in this particular school were rude, crass, and the guys were, you guessed it, crude. "My name's Kamiya Kaoru. It's nice to meet you," she offered, bowing the tiniest bit. "Himura Kenshin," the red head replied. The girl was amused to note that his bow had been lower than hers, however slightly.

The bell rang and Kaoru cursed colorfully. She gathered her books and hugged them to her chest before taking off, calling a last, "Sorry I bumped into you!" until she was swallowed into the crowd of students, likewise hurrying to their classes.

Kenshin watched her leave, a strange expression in his purple eyes.

* * *

Kenshin sighed and rose slowly from his seat as the last bell rung, marking the end of the day. _C'mon Kenshin! Let's go home!_ The boy smiled at Shinta's enthusiasm, stuffing his belongings into his backpack and swinging the heavy load onto his back. _All right already, _he said mentally, laughing to himself as Shinta bounced around excitedly. The boy really had too much energy for his own good. _Jeez, Shinta, calm down. You're acting like you need a trip to the bathroom. _The boy pouted endearingly and sulked as Kenshin walked the short distance to the library across the street.

_Shinta, stop being so moody_, Rurouni scolded gently from his place in the corner of Kenshin's mind. _It doesn't suit you. _Shinta gave up, impossibly wide purple eyes peeking through his host's in anticipation. _Kenshin, read me a story?_ He threw in a pout for good measure. The teenager rolled his eyes and dumped his book bag on the floor. _Which one? _He asked, scanning shelves upon shelves of books for children. Shinta picked one that was colorful and bright with dragons and lions and even a dolphin at one point.

Rurouni smiled tolerantly as their host began to read the story, mentally of course, to the little boy, and even Battousai came out of the shadows to hear it. Shinta climbed into the hitokiri's lap and listened intently, giving off a light and warmth that didn't fail to touch the killer. Kenshin noted this all with amusement, but continued reading the story, his voice that seemed made for story telling rising and falling in the exact right places. Shinta sighed happily.

"Kenshin?!" The teenager whirled around, carefully schooling his face into neutrality as he faced a confused, black haired girl. _Kamiya Kaoru,_ Shinta helpfully supplied. _I think she's pretty. _Rurouni shushed the boy gently, watching cautiously as the girl approached his charge.

"Kamiya-dono," Kenshin greeted carefully, straightening slightly from his seat on the red beanbag. "I didn't expect to see you here." The girl appraised him frankly, bright blue eyes flicking down to see the picture book held in his hands. "Neither did I," she said, much more openly, cocking her head slightly to the side. "Good read?" she asked, nodding towards the book.

The red head blushed slightly, feeling a slight wave of panic wash over him. _What do I tell her? _He wondered. _That I'm reading to a five year old that lives in my head?_ "I'm still a child at heart," he replied lightly, though Kaoru swore she saw a hint of distrust flit through his eyes. It must be a trick of the light, she decided.

"So what is Kamiya-dono doing here, if I might be so bold to ask?" Kenshin was unwittingly copying Kaoru's earlier pose, his head canted to the side in curiosity. The girl's eyes lingered on the long mass of hair spilling down his back. He had the longest hair on any boy she'd ever seen.

"Kamiya-dono?" Kaoru snapped out of her daze instantly, blue eyes wandering back to his pretty, almost-feminine face. She smiled slightly. "It's Kaoru," she told him bluntly. "Kamiya makes me feel old." The boy nodded, silently acquiescing to her wishes.

An uncomfortable silence followed. "Do you wanna walk home with me?" she asked suddenly, impulse overtaking good common sense as it often did with her. "It's not far from here." Kenshin hesitated, debating whether he should or not. Finally, he nodded with a smile. "Sure," he agreed. "Why not?"

Fifteen minutes later found them trudging through the woods that cut through Kaoru's neighborhood. The girl stumbled over a protruding rock and twigs constantly caught in her raven black hair. She grumbled to herself, risking look at the slender boy who followed her. Kenshin drifted through the trees as easily as mist and looked completely undisturbed. She grumbled again.

But then he smiled at her, purple eyes glinting at her in the golden light of afternoon. She smiled back, narrowly missing a tree. She flinched away instinctively. "My home's not far from here. We're pretty close," she explained to the red head. And sure enough, the Kamiya dojo, that the girl called home, loomed up ahead.

Kenshin's eyes widened in awe. "You live in a dojo?" he asked, halting for second in his trek. Kaoru nodded over her shoulder, tossing a teasing, "Have a problem with that?" at him. The boy shook his head, resuming his progress. She pushed open the screen door, neatly kicking off her shoes and slipping into a pair of house sandals. "Tadaima!" she called. A muffled, "Okaeri!" answered. Kaoru handed Kenshin a pair of sandals much like her own and he followed her example, taking off his sneakers to replace them.

"Busu, close the door behind-oh…" A small boy of maybe ten years burst into the room and Kenshin regarded him lazily. He had a hair of spiky black hair and snapping brown eyes flew between Kaoru and him. "Who's this busu, your boyfriend or something?" he asked insolently. The girl growled and swatted him across the head. "That's no way to talk to visitors, Yahiko-chan! And he's _not_ my boyfriend!"

That clinched it. Yahiko had to be Kaoru's sister. Their mannerisms were too similar for them not to be. Kenshin smiled tolerantly, echoing Rurouni's gesture. Kaoru disregarded her younger brother breezily, smiling at her new friend. "So," she asked. "Want the grand tour?"

Yahiko followed them out, for lack of something better to do. His homework could go to hell for all he cared and tormenting his sister was always fun. He glanced at her red headed friend. He looked like some pansy pushover that couldn't even carry his own weight. He snorted disdainfully. He hated anyone who he considered weak and incapable.

As if he had heard him, Kaoru's friend, Kenshin or something, glanced back at him. He raised an eyebrow silently and Yahiko scowled darkly at him. He turned back to his sister, nodding politely and smiling as the busu went on and on about God-knows-what.

Yahiko watched as the plaques on the far side of the dojo caught Kenshin's attention. He crossed over curiously, eyeing the wooden planks. "Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. Assistant Master Kamiya Kaoru." He glanced at the two of them. "Who's the Master?" he asked inquiringly. It was Yahiko who spoke.

"Our father," he said shortly, forestalling any more questions. "He's dead." Kenshin glanced at him briefly, something akin to sympathy in those weird eyes of his. "I'm sorry to hear that," he replied quietly. Kaoru shifted uncomfortably.

"Hey!" she brightened up. "Let's have a sparring match. You against me!" The younger sibling rolled his eyes at his sister's enthusiasm. "Eh heh, no thanks," Kenshin said uneasily, backing away from the girl as she grabbed two shinais from the rack. "I'm not one for wooden swords." "Oh come on," Kaoru said dismissively. "It'll be fun, and I'll go easy on you." The red head inched away discreetly. "Really, I must decline."

"Stop being such a wuss," she exclaimed, shoving the weapon into his hand. "It's okay if you've never done this before." The teenager shook his head violently. "That's not what I meant, I-" Kaoru charged aggressively, her war cry echoing through the dojo. Yahiko settled down, expecting a relatively short fight. His sister was good; she was the assistant master of their father's style after all.

Kenshin dodged lithely, flipping out of her reach in a blur of speed. Yahiko's eyes widened in utter surprise. He'd been so fast that he hadn't been able to even see the movement, except for the wake of wind. Kaoru slid to a stop, facing him. She looked incredulously at her friend.

"So you have done this before," she stated, eyes flicking to his hands where they grasped the hilt of the bamboo sword with long practiced ease. His stance was perfect too, and one that Kaoru didn't recognize. Kenshin shrugged helplessly. "I tried to tell you."

She smiled at the challenge gleaming in his eyes and attacked more cautiously, her blows calculated and strong. Kenshin parried them all evenly, not even budging from his set stance. Kaoru growled, control slipping as she unknowingly let all thoughts of "going easy" on him slip out of her mind. Kenshin smiled oddly, then twisted his sword past her defenses and sent her shinai spinning out of her grasp. Kaoru froze.

Kenshin caught the extra sword, presenting the hilt to the girl with a bow. The smile had not left his face. Yahiko could feel his jaw hinge unscrewing. "Wow," he said. Wow didn't quite describe it.

Kaoru was panting and Kenshin took pity on her. "It was a good match," he offered lamely. Her brother snorted. "Some match," he interjected. "Where did you learn kenjutsu like that? It's way cooler than the lame stuff Kaoru's been teaching me." The girl's eyes blazed angrily. "Kaoru-dono's style isn't 'lame,' Yahiko. Our styles have different goals." The boy merely sneered.

Kenshin sighed, facing Kaoru. The last thing he wanted was the girl to question the details of Hiten Mituruugi Ryu. The last thing he wanted was the girl questioning his life. A pair of very blue eyes was demanding an answer.

_I liked her,_ Shinta stated stubbornly. _She's pretty _and_ she's nice. _Rurouni snorted. _She's also very nosy. _He scowled darkly, contemplating the implications of actually having any kind of relationship with the bubbly girl, friendly, romantic, or otherwise. Kenshin rolled his eyes, slouched against a mentally constructed wall. He had retreated inside his head sometimes after he got home.

I think you guys are over thinking all of this, he said exasperatedly. I just ran into her at school, literally, and she was being friendly is all. Shinta and Rurouni looked at each other, a small red head and a taller one. Nah, they said in unison. Kenshin groaned. Battousai emerged from the shadows, icy amber eyes softened by amusement at his host's predicament. Kenshin glanced at him pleadingly. Help me, he whined. Shinta and Rurouni are being mean. 

Battousai's lips curled up into a gentle smirk. _For once I agree with the both of them. She definitely likes you, and if I'm not mistaken, you're taken with her._ Kenshin let out a muffled scream. He glared at all three of them, two of which were grinning unabashedly and one of them regarding him with cold amusement. _You like torturing me, don't you?_ He asked dryly. _Yes,_ all three of them chorused. He groaned. _I hate you all. _

_We know,_ was all Shinta said, large eyes sparkling maliciously.

**finis**

_dono- honorific attached to a person's name. Not commonly used anymore._

_Tadaima- translates to "I'm home!" _

_Okaeri- translates to "welcome home." _

_Kenjutsu- swordsmanship_

_Busu- hag, ugly_

**Inkblot:** As always, please be as kind to leave a review. Or several of them. Whatever bloats your goat.


	3. Chapter Two: Operation Christmas

**Inkblot: **Hi! I'm going to try to make updates at least once a week, but forgive me if I don't quite make it. It's easy for me to come up with ideas for this story; however, coming up with ideas that actually work is the hard part. I enjoyed writing this chapter, but I'm not sure if anyone else would appreciate it, but since it's drawing close to my favorite holiday, I thought I'd post this.

**Thanks to shadow61x-** LOL, I just realized I did say Yahiko was Kaoru's sister. sweatdrop yeah, about that…you see, when I was writing that chapter, I kept on referring to Yahiko as a girl. I dunno why…so I had to go back and correct all that, and I guess I missed that one. Oops. . thanks for the reviews btw. I desperately need the confidence. On the bright side, no one has flamed me yet!

**Thanks to half-breed-demon-fox- **Yes, I realize that Rurouni seems a bit mean, but he has a reason, really! I just worked out the main plot so I can assure you that Rurouni isn't mean to Shinta; only to Battousai. And our lovely Battousai doesn't really care, now does he?

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own RK. I would like to, but my wallet is sadly empty. Besides, if I did, I'd get assassinated by fan girls pretty quickly…

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Two: Operation Christmas**

Kenshin had no idea how he got dragged into this…holiday celebration. Hiko detested Christmas time and as a result, the red head had grown up without really understanding this particular holiday's significance. So when Kaoru had come to him with that frightening gleam in her eye, he was utterly nonplussed as to why Rurouni had shrunk away.

_You must be a sucker for punishment_, Shinta commented gaily. The recent snowfall had made an imp out of the boy and Kenshin was hard pressed to keep him under control. Rurouni wasn't much better. _He's a masochist_, the ronin added smugly, a smirk pulling at the edges of his mouth. _Even Shinta knew to hide when Kaoru came, de gozaru. _Kenshin made a face and stepped into the Kamiya dojo, tugging on his scarf in irritation.

Kaoru whirled into the room, blue eyes sparkling happily. Yahiko followed, shaking his head in tolerant amusement, though even _his_ usual scowl had lightened "Merry Christmas!" she sang blissfully, and inwardly Kenshin winced. Kaoru could **not **sing.

"Sano's gonna meet us at the tree farm," she explained to her friend, pulling on her gloves. "So we don't have to worry about him doing anything stupid. I think." Kenshin nodded silently, not quite understanding her cheer. He snuck a peek at Yahiko; he was excited too, though he hid it better than his sister did. "Kaoru," Kenshin said timidly, "I have a question." He fidgeted with the knitted hat perched on his head. Kaoru glanced at him encouragingly. A deep breath. "Why are we going to a tree farm?"

THUMP! Both Kaoru and Yahiko had fallen over and were staring at him in disbelief. He shifted uncomfortably under their gazes. He could feel the blood rising in his cheeks. "Umm…the tree?" Yahiko said, trying to get a reaction of understanding from his sister's friend. "We're going to the farm to get a **tree**?" Yahiko was shell-shocked and Kaoru plain couldn't speak from horror. Kenshin's face was blank.

Kaoru finally found her voice and scrambled to her feet. "How can anyone not know what a Christmas tree is?" she asked angrily. Shinta provided him with an image of a pine tree decorated with sparkling lights and colorful glass balls, courtesy of commercials via TV. Great. So even _Shinta_ knew what a Christmas tree was. Yahiko shook his head at such travesty. Poor Kenshin.

"Our new goal is to educate Kenshin in all matter of Christmas celebration," Kaoru announced and the strange glint had returned with a vengeance. Her eyes were now inhumanly bright. Shinta squeaked in terror and ran to Rurouni, who faded both of them to the corners of Kenshin's mind. Battousai's eyes glinted at them in laughter, but the hitokiri's presence was much preferred to psycho Kaoru's.

And Kenshin was, yet again, clueless.

_Wow, _Shinta piped up. _Our host really **is** stupid!_

* * *

And so it was that Kaoru called up Shinomori Aoshi, Makimachi Misao, and Megumi, a freshman at Tokyo University. The latter two came of their own free will; their goal in this operation was too torture poor Kenshin as much as they possibly could. The former had to be blackmailed to participate. Of course, the red head knew nothing of this, and proceeded in his clueless way.

To be fair, Kenshin did admit that he learned something. Like, what the perfect Christmas tree was supposed to look like. They had spent a good hour examining them before Kaoru pronounced a certain Douglas pine perfect. A Christmas tree had to be conical in shape and couldn't be one of the soft needle pines, or else the ornaments would fall off of them. Kenshin had no idea; he had felt rather bad for a scraggly Fraser that was out by it's lonesome in the snowy field.

The next lesson the teen learned was that the holidays were about music. One could not be complete without Christmas carols and Hanukah songs. Quite frankly, he would have rather tuned the entire thing out; Kaoru, Megumi, Misao, and Sano could not sing for their lives, and Aoshi would rather die than be caught singing, a carol no less.

The third lesson was that one needed decorations for the tree. Popcorn strings, shiny garlands, and tinsel were essential. Kenshin was put in charge of the popcorn strings; the rest could not be trusted with a needle, or indeed, any sharp, pointy object.

By the end of the day, "Operation Christmas Education" was beyond Kenshin's comprehension. He was completely overwhelmed to the point where even Hiko bursting into a romantic love song would have failed to astound him. He dropped tiredly to the ground, bright red hair sticking up crazily where his wool hat had been. "Hat hair!" Misao had squealed, then proceeded to mess it up even further.

Sano dropped to the floor next to him, grinning at the argument going on between pipsqueak Yahiko and ice prick Aoshi. They were nose to nose, furiously telling each other off. Shouts of "No! The garlands go up before lights on the tree, idiot!" and "You're wrong, kid. The lights go on before the rest of the stuff. And men have died for lesser insults, Yahiko-_chan!_" echoed through the dojo. Megumi and Misao, meanwhile, were happily stringing the lights up around the house, chatting about bitchy girls, guys, and periods.

Kaoru came out of the kitchen, bearing a tray of popcorn balls and hot chocolate. Sano snagged two of the popcorn balls lazily, disregarding the girl's glare and muffled "freeloader." The tall, brawny youth tossed one to Kenshin, who bit it out the air with boneless ease. The red head had the satiated air of a well fed cat.

Kenshin's eyes flashed suddenly, a metallic blue gleam entering the previous violet. Sano glanced at him in surprise, noting the suddenly purposeful movements and wary eyes. He relaxed as he recognized the alter ego, all the tension draining out of his long, lanky body. "Jeez Rurouni, give a guy some warning next time you want to switch," the teen grumbled. The ronin in Kenshin's body smiled apologetically at him. "Sessha is sorry," he said contritely. "Kenshin dozed off suddenly and sessha was forced into control de gozaru."

Of the five people Kaoru had invited, Sagara Sanosuke was the only one who had known Kenshin before The Incident. He had witnessed the splitting of the then fourteen-year-old's personality and therefore the only one who knew of Shinta, Rurouni, and the ever-mysterious Battousai. The Incident was never mentioned between them and that was the way Kenshin intended to keep it.

Sanosuke shook his head and tugged on Rurouni's red ponytail. "So," he said conversationally, as if he talked to alter egos every day. Which was true to an extent; he had been talking to Shinta and Rurouni for almost eleven years now. "How's Shinta?" he asked, scratching the back of his head. "Haven't seen the squirt in a while." Rurouni drew a leg up to his chest and rested his chin on it, observing the decorating process interestedly. "Shinta is doing well," he reflected quietly. "He wants to make a snowman tomorrow de gozaru. Kaoru has him convinced that snow is the cure for all ills."

Sano grunted in acknowledgement, eyes lingering on Megumi before settling on the boy next to him. "Jou-chan has that effect on people," he noted, shrugging his shoulder eloquently. A comfortable silence fell between the two as they watched the girls and Aoshi finish up. Kaoru turned to smile at who she thought was Kenshin. Rurouni smiled back.

He stretched and yawned, blinking tiredly. "Sessha is leaving now," he said, turning his purple-blue eyes on the lanky gangster. "Kenshin will most likely fall asleep on you de gozaru." Sanosuke watched idly as the blue receded form Kenshin's eyes and the teen looked at him sleepily, eyes once again pure purple. "Have a nice chat with Rurouni?" he asked, head falling to rest on Sano's shoulder. The other teen poked him in the ribs and grinned at Kenshin's glare. "Yeah," he answered finally, closing his eyes. "We had a nice chat. Shinta wants to make a snow man." Kenshin groaned.

"Kill me now."

* * *

_It was always the same dream. He was alone on a high cliff overlooking a quiet, secluded valley. Smoke curled up in wisps of gray from the burning trees, and the sickly sweet stench of burning wood hung in the air. The sun above shone merrily, almost blinding him until sunlight and fire made the area so bright that one could barely see._

_He had blood on his hands and on his katana, and it dripped off the gleaming weapon slowly, like an hourglass of crimson liquid. _

_It was silent, except for the creams drifting from the valley and the crackling of fire. There was an emptiness in him he didn't understand and he looked down from his place at the edge of the cliff into the valley below. Another high-pitched shriek. He closed his eyes and stepped from the ledge and fell through space, the wind whipping at his hair and rushing into his lungs, clean and sharp and sweet. _

_And then he knew no more. _

* * *

Battousai was a killer. Not a murderer, never a murderer. Really, the hitokiri preferred the term assassin; he never killed a man who didn't need killing. It really didn't count as murder, since none of the deaths were done in clod blood.

Kenshin had created him shortly after The Incident. Usually the hitokiri was a mere echo of his true self, most of his true power thinned and spread throughout the teen's mind. He was cautious about his strength, only using a glare here, a growl there, hardly noticeable at all. He was a shadow in the far corners of his host's mind.

Battousai's control was legendary, both physically and emotionally. But something emerged from the darkness that worried him, worried the manslayer that thrived in the very lightlessness the menace came from. For something to bother him so deeply spelled trouble, not only for the hitokiri, but for his host and the other personalities.

And his purpose was to protect Kenshin. His amber eyes flashed as he gathered his scattered strength, eyes molten like gold, burning as fire, and chilling like ice on a starry night.

After all, the best defense was offense.

**Finis**

**

* * *

**

**Inkblot: **I didn't think that went all that bad, so thank you for your patience. I felt I needed to write a tiny bit of humor. Please review! Reviews are like chocolate to me; they're addicting!


	4. Chapter Three: The Things We Do

**Inkblot: **I'm sooo sorry for the delay! I know I said I'd try to update once a week, but I've been having trouble in wording this chapter. And then the holidays rolled around and I didn't feel like doing anything! Gomen nasai!

**Thanks to**

**Shadow61x **for her continued support.

**Half-breed-demon-fox** I realize that I may have made it sound as if Kenshin doesn't like Kaoru, but in the anime, Ken-san doesn't like her as anything more than a friend until later. I'm trying to stay relatively true to the series, even the circumstances are completely screwed.

**Disclaimer: **No, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. If I did, the world would fear me.

**Dare You to Jump**

**Chapter Three:**

The main population of Tokyo Metropolitan Senior High School was generally normal. Sure, there were the oddballs; Sagara Sanosuke, the street brawler, Shinomori Aoshi, the ice prick, Makimachi Misao, the ever hyper, ever genki raccoon-girl, and Himura Kenshin, the junior with closet MPD problems. But generally speaking TMHS was your average, teen-infested school.

Okita found it pleasantly boring. Though he was sometimes violent in nature, the junior was perfectly happy to blend right in with the crowd. He wanted his last few years to be happy and content. He wanted to die knowing that he had done everything worth doing.

Okita Soushi had contracted a rather deadly case of tuberculosis. No one knew how he had gotten it and no one knew of his condition but his doctors, his parents, and whoever managed to get a hold of his records.

Readers of said documents would have been amazed to find that despite the impending end of his life, he was an excellent swordsman and very active. He played on the school's soccer team, joined school clubs, and went about his life as if nothing were the matter. He helped people who needed help and was good with kids, was liked by his classmates, and got good grades. His life seemed enchanted.

At least, on the surface.

No one would ever know that Tokyo Metropolitan High's golden boy was actually screaming inside.

No one would ever know that he was dying.

No one would ever know how he felt about that.

And in that, he was alone.

Poke. "Hey, Sano." Poke, poke.

Sanosuke grunted, cracking an eye open to glance at the attentive red head beside him. "Wut?" he grumbled, unhappy at being roused from his nap. He swiped the bangs from his eyes lazily, sitting up with a muffled groan. Kenshin watched with a tiny spark of amusement in his purple eyes. Sleeping in Speech and Debate. Again.

"Who's the guy speaking?" Kenshin asked, nodding towards the boy standing in the front of the room. A large, colorful sign emblazoned with "Podiums are for Losers" had been tacked on the support, courtesy of a certain tall boy in the back. Sanosuke squinted at him, then turned his gaze on the speaker. It took moment for his sleep hazed eyes to recognize the messy black hair and blue eyes and whom they belonged.

"Tha's Okita. Wonder boy," the ex-gang member said, watching said person gesture eloquently. The rest of the class laughed as the junior said something that was apparently quite witty. If Sano had been awake, he would have appreciated the remark.

Kenshin nodded, storing the information away. "He's funny," the red head commented. His friend grunted. Five minutes later, Kenshin looked down to see Sanosuke snoozing again and shook his head in undisguised amusement. _He'll never grow up_, Shinta said, grinning affectionately. Kenshin snorted. _Look who's talking._

His purple eyes focused on the black haired speaker, noting the quick flash of intelligence in Okita's blue eyes and the graceful, movements of his body. Battousai chuckled darkly as he watched through his host's eyes. _He's clever this one. _Kenshin cocked his head in confusion, lifting an eyebrow eloquently. _His ki is like a fire, brilliant, bright, and soon to burn out. He'll die before he gets to college. _

Kenshin's eyes widened imperceptibly and he absorbed this new information. _He's sick_, Rurouni interjected neutrally, tossing an unreadable glance at Battousai. Their host watched as the teen took at bow, smiling amidst he whistles and cheers of his fellow students.

How short life is, that the choices we make define our futures. How sweet, that we choose at all. And how bitter, when we have taken our last, burning breath, Battousai whispered harshly.

Kaoru smiled when Kenshin met her at her locker. He smiled in return, kindly shutting the locker door when the books piled in her arms refused to let her move about. Deftly, the red head plucked half of the texts and added them to his pile. _He was always such the gentleman_, Kaoru thought fondly.

"How was Speech and Debate?" she asked, following him into the crowded hall. He shrugged lightly, replying with a noncommittal "Nghhhh." She grinned, and shook her head. "Always so eloquent," she teased. He glanced at her, smiling. "Why, of course, my lady fair," he responded gallantly. "My tongue is nothing compared to the beauty of your eyes, to the blush of your cheek, to the fineness of your skin. You are the North Star in the night sky, constant and shining and unfailing. How can I, a mere mortal, compare to your greatness?" She blushed. He grinned. "How was that?"

"Pretty good for improvision," she mumbled, ducking her head.

"Kaoru-chan! Matte!"

The pair turned to see Misao rushing towards them. Her braid whipped behind her with a life of its own as she dodged and wove through the masses of people. She was breathless by the time she reached them and he bend over, clutching her knees. Kaoru regarded her with exasperated affection as Kenshin stifled the urge to laugh.

"Okita-san said to give you this," she said finally, handing the other girl a piece of paper. Okita again. Kaoru opened it in puzzlement, reading the contents interestedly before grinning happily.

"Kenjutsu today!" she announced loudly. "Practice after school." Misao squealed euphorically before dashing off, shouting a hurried "Ja ne!" over her shoulder.

Kenshin shook his head in open amazement. Misao was something, _really_ something. Kaoru operated mainly on caffeine, but the super genki wannabe ninja had her own, private sugar-producing warehouse in her body. She was _always _hyper, the only exception being when her Aoshi-sama was about. Then she would turn klutzy, nervous, starry eyed, and blushing. Kaoru thought it was quite adorable. Kenshin didn't know quite what to think.

Aoshi was probably the only reason Misao was going, anyway. The red head didn't think the girl had the discipline needed for kenjutsu; she was deadly by herself.

Kenshin shook the thoughts from his head distractedly, only to look in Kaoru's big, pleading eyes. He felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach; Kaoru was planning one of her wild schemes again. "You should come, Kenshin!" she coaxed. "It'll be fun! Lots of people who are really interested in swords, and food, and you'll fit right in!"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Great! I'll meet you in the gym after school!" She grinned at him and entered her classroom. Kenshin sighed. _Sucked into another one of her plans_, he thought morosely as he continued on his way to Creative Writing.

The teacher of Creative Writing was a relatively nice lady by the name of Ms. Curraugh. She was young, tall woman with a head of dark curls and an astounding amount of energy. She reminded Kenshin a bit of Misao. Only taller, and more mature. She was liked by her students and had interesting ideas about ways to make their curriculum more interesting. The red head adored her for that.

Creative Writing was last period. When the bell rang he jotted down the last of his notes before sticking the pen in his ponytail and heading out the door. Off to the gym he went, shuffling his feet like a man sent to death.

The things he did for Kaoru.

The school gymnasium was loud and already filled with people when Kenshin arrived. He hadn't expected quite so many kenjutsu fans. He wove his way through the mass, dumping his backpack on the bleacher and hefting himself up. He tilted his head back against the cool wall, closing his eyes and letting the noise wash over him.

_There's a lot of people_, Rurouni commented. _Surprising, really_. Kenshin smiled slightly, lips quirking up a fraction of an inch. _It's good to know that swordsmanship is still very popular_, he answered lightly. _It would be a pity if it died out. _Rurouni grunted in assent.

A brief flare of ki caught his attention before his ears caught the sound of shoe scraping on steel. He cracked an eye open to see Aoshi seat himself beside him, giving the taller boy a small smile before closing his eye again. "Kaoru tells me you're good," the icy teen said, cold blue eyes scanning the crowd. "I assume you're referring to my skill with a sword," the red head said wryly. "I'm proficient enough."

The boy turned to him seriously. "You're better than proficient if you can beat Kaoru in two passes," he said neutrally, watching his friend for a chance of expression. Kenshin's face didn't move. Aoshi turned away and watched the club members mingle with each other. The noise level increased steadily, and the kenjutsu captain frowned. "Most of these people can barely hold a sword correctly. Their fathers have paid for years of training from the masters and they think they can fight," he sneered quietly. "It's no use. They're amateurs."

Kenshin finally opened his eyes and turned his head to gaze at the disgruntled leader. "Well then, Shinomori-san. It's your job to teach them otherwise," he said with a serene smile. Slowly, the other teen smiled. It was brief, but it was there. _Misao would swoon,_ Rurouni remarked wickedly.

Kenshin smiled at the alter ego's thought and waved at Kaoru as she caught sight of him. The black haired girl grinned knowingly, winking lavishly at the red head. He blushed profusely.

Aoshi rose silently, swinging off the bleachers and turning to look up at Kenshin. "You should try one of us," he said, nodding to the crowd of people. "Test your skills. We'll see how good you really are." The red head nodded at the veiled challenge, recognizing the offer. "Maybe," was all he said.

A half hour passed, the strange, fiery haired boy in the bleachers with a cross-shaped scar on his cheek observing the mini-competitions with a critical eye. Most people ignored him, pegging him for a groupie of some sort. Kaoru glanced at him every once and again, rolling her eyes at his obvious reluctance to participate.

Misao noticed it too, finally dragging the poor boy out into the crowd. Kaoru and some of Kenshin's classmates cheered, curious to see his reaction. To the blue-eyed girl's amazement, Kenshin took it well enough, smiling tolerantly and rubbing his head in bemusement. "I'm not one for wooden swords," he commented wryly, repeating the words he had once told Kaoru. Someone promptly tossed him a blunted katana.

To the continuing wonderment of the onlookers, he caught it deftly, snatching it out of the air with cat-like ease. Aoshi, on the fringe of the watchers, smiled at the skill the red head was unconsciously revealing. One of Kaoru's friends pushed a boy to the forefront and egged him on.

"C'mon, Okita-kun, you can take him on!"

Kaoru laughed to herself.

Aoshi raised an eyebrow in anticipation.

Soon enough, an area was cleared for the two opponents. Kenshin smiled, waving the ring of watchers a bit further back. He then proceeded to take in the height of ceiling and exactly how much room he had to work with, mentally measuring the distance. The gym boasted a good, high ceiling, and his mysterious smile deepened.

Okita watched him thoughtfully, his dark blue eyes noting the grace of the smaller boy's movements and the obvious familiarity he held the katana. He glanced at Aoshi, hidden in the crowd, and the two exchanged a silent look. This would be Kenshin's first test. Okita smiled suddenly, lips pulling into a roguish grin.

He was quite looking forward to this.

He bowed traditionally to the red head Kaoru had called Kenshin. His opponent bowed in return, and the black haired teen was amused to see that the other's bow was just slightly lower than his own. Interesting.

Okita launched into his attack, moving easily despite lack of movement due to class. The red head blocked it easily in a shower of electric shocks and he dodged away, reveling in the freedom of his movement. He returned for another strike. Judging by the ease and deftness of Kenshin's block, the black haired teen discovered that his "enemy" was no novice at all. He wasn't even good, Okita thought distantly. His form was _perfect._

As the high school's sweetheart fell back into the rhythm of swords clashing and sparks flying, his strikes and thrusts smoothed out, moving with a fluid grace. Not that his attacks weren't solid before, now they were beautifully performed. But it didn't make a difference. Kenshin blocked every pass, and Okita smiled. He loved a challenge.

There was a break in the fighting for the two swordsmen to actually breathe. Both were only slightly sweaty and breathing quite easily, and Okita nodded in appreciation at the other boy. Then he made up his mind.

When the two picked up where they left off, Okita lay off the attacks, preferring to analyze Kenshin's attacks. They were quick, as was everything the boy did, and precise to the point of perfection. Okita envied him his speed and was surprised to notice that he blocked each attack with more and more difficulty.

For the first time since the match had begun, his smile faltered. Abruptly, he paused, and Kenshin checked his swing barely in time. The edge of the red head's katana glimmered faintly from, an edge not even an inch from Okita's throat. The faint smile returned. The blue-eyed teen bowed gracefully, ignoring the proximity of the blade.

"I concede, Himura-san. You're too strong for the likes of me," he admitted. There was an indrawn breath of disbelief. And before the audience's eyes, Okita Soushi, lord of Tokyo Metropolitan High School, turned and walked away, his smile just a little more cutting than usual.

Kenshin watched him go, speculation in his purple eyes.

"Well?"

"What I said was true. I cannot beat him, and I doubt you will be able to either. You can try if you like, but Himura Kenshin is far beyond the likes of us."

Finis

**Inkblot: **There you go, chapter Three! Yay! Who thought I'd make it this far? Considering that I wrote the beginning of this story in exactly five minutes, not me!

As always, please R&R!


	5. Chapter Three: The Meaning of Loss

**Inkblot:** GOMEN NE!I know I haven't updated in forever, and I have no excuse. Gomen.

Midterms suck.

**Thanks To: **

**lolo popoki:** grins and is happy thank you for your kind words. yes, this chapter has a little more about The Incident. I just figured out the main plot, and i'm rather proud of myself; i'd been writing without one.

**Demonsfangs:** glomps You found my story!I wuv you! Yes, yes, it would help if you knew what this was about. XD Glad you like Shinta.See ya in History!

**Disclaimer:** Do not own RK. Wish I did. Snow is pretty.

**

* * *

Dare You To Jump**

**Chapter Four: The Meaning of Loss**

Kenshin woke up screaming.

He had gone three months without this nightmare, and he had thought that it had gone for good. He thought that he was finally healing, that maybe he could forget and move on with his life.

Yeah right.

He was sweating heavily and breathing hard; his heart was beating dangerously fast. Three months without that particular dream, and now it was back, more vivid and horrible than he remembered. He fell back against his pillow staring at the ceiling above him blankly.

It would concern Dr. Genzai, Kenshin knew, that the dreams had returned. He could feel himself shivering just thinking about it. He didn't want to remember The Incident, not even in his dreams. He didn't want to think about, speak about, or talk about it ever again. But IT still came back to haunt him.

He buried his face in his hands, sheets pooling around his hips as he contemplated what the return of The Incident to his life could possibly mean. _Kenshin?_ Shinta peeked out at him from under his shaggy red hair. _Are you okay?_ The teen shook his head silently, negatively. No, I'm not all right. Haven't been for years, he thought morosely, but he didn't say anything. Not to Shinta. Never to Shinta.

The two of them looked up in surprise as Battousai glided in smoothly, with the easy grace of a predator. _Battousai?_ The hitokiri nodded shortly in greeting before seating himself next to them. _I think maybe I should explain myself, _he said gravely. The two looked at him curiously. _About my creation and my birth. _

Kenshin raised an eyebrow in surprise. Battousai wasn't usually wasn't one to talk, never mind about his creation. _I'm listening_, he prompted hesitantly.

_Shinta, _Battousai said thoughtfully,_ was the first to be born. Kenshin, you wanted to stay young forever, or at least, keep the innocence you had known before you turned fourteen. Shinta was created in response to that and he is what you see before you today. _

He paused, turning his yellow gaze on them. _Rurouni and I are a bit more…complicated. _Kenshin listened in rapt attention while Shinta clambered into the hitokiri's lap. This was the first time Battousai had revealed anything about his past, and Kenshin himself didn't know all the details of their making.

_You created me to fight,_ Battousai continued distantly, his eyes now looking far beyond them. _I was expected to repel anyone and everyone who stood in our way. I was the first to respond to…The Incident, and my goal could have been reached another way. I see that now. But Rurouni was too late, and by that time I was unstoppable. You have to understand that I was born to destroy. _

_What about Rurouni? _Kenshin asked seriously, reaching to touch the hitokiri's hand. Battousai smiled bitterly. _Rurouni is my opposite. He was created to protect, and all the restraint that I lack, he received. That is why we fight so much; I cannot let things be, and he cannot prevent them from happening. We were created to hate each other. We cannot help it. _

The teen stared at his alter ego, eyes widening as the hitokiri's words echoed in his mind. _"You created me to fight…I was born to destroy." _"So it's my fault then," he said aloud. "It's my fault The Incident happened." Battousai's eyes flashed dangerously as he launched to his feet. _No! _he hissed, anger blazing brightly in his amber gold depths. _Kenshin, don't you dare blame this on yourself! _

_Battousai,_ Shinta whimpered, tears threatening to spill from his innocent eyes. _Don't._ The flame haired entity ignored him, gaze that could pierce a man's soul fixed on Kenshin. _No one, **no one**, can go through the death of their parents, even you, when their parents were brutally killed like that! Yes, you created me, and in part are responsible for me, but my actions are my **own**. **I** was the one who killed the Yakuza, **I** was the one who took up my sword. **I **was the one who stained my blade until the ground was bathed in blood. Kyoto went up in flames because of **me**!_

Shinta whimpered again, trails of glistening water streaming down his face. Kenshin stood frozen, reliving the terror of those days and the stench of fresh blood invaded his nostrils. His eyes were blank, unseeing, and Battousai slapped him callously. He blinked and reached up to touch his cheek; it stung upon contact. Battousai watched him furiously, only inches away. _It was me, Kenshin, **I** was the one who killed that day. I do not ask you for guilt or pity, _host,_ because I am my own man. _

Battousai's eyes were chips of raging ice now, filled with anger and just the tiniest hint of hurt. Kenshin didn't think he'd ever seen him as alive as he was now. So this, he thought dazedly, is Battousai. The very epitome of darkness, moonless nights, of blood and violent deaths. No wonder men fear him.

_That is quite enough, Battousai!_ Rurouni's voice was as sharp as a whip crack and his eyes were equally furious. _You know how Shinta hates people talking about the death of his parents, de gozaru. Why do you force him to relive it?_ The ronin gently scooped the child up, cradling the head of wild locks close to himself. Shinta sniffled pathetically, his thin shoulders heaving.

Battousai's lips tightened and he straightened slowly. _It seems I am no longer needed here then. _There was a strange sort of sadness on the normally impassive face, wiped away sooner than one could blink. He whirled around and disappeared into the darkness, into the black of Kenshin's mind. The teen frowned; this wasn't right. It was unlike Battousai to give in so easily. _Rurou-_

Shinta screamed as an explosion of brilliant red flame swept over them. Kenshin ducked, heart thundering in his chest. _Battousai, _he thought frantically. _Where's Battousai? _Crackling sparks fell from overhead and Rurouni rose, eyes widening as he took in the burning refuse around them. Silently, he passed Shinta over to Kenshin, who watched with a growing sense of unease as Rurouni walked away.

_What's going on?_ Shinta whispered brokenly. The teenager shook his head, signaling his lack of knowledge. _Something's not right,_ he said, readjusting the boy. _I don't know what it is though. _

After a while, Rurouni returned, looking wearily at the two boys. Kenshin prepared himself for the worst, reading the look in the ronin's haunted violet eyes. _Battousai's gone, de gozaru,_ he said hesitantly. He crouched besides them and reached out to smooth Shinta's hair.

_What do you mean, gone? _The boy asked. Their host looked at the ronin, and closed his eyes. _No. _

_What happened? What happened to Battousai?_ Shinta's voice rose steadily and Kenshin hugged him desperately. _Shinta,_ Rurouni said patiently, though it was wearing even on his reserves. He tried to smile reassuringly, but the attempt fell sadly flat. _Battousai left. That's what the fire was. Battousai's…he left. I don't know if he just disappeared or if he died. _He drew a deep breath. _But he's not in Kenshin's head anymore. _

* * *

It was hours before Shinta fell asleep. Kenshin sat back tiredly, staring blankly at Rurouni as he settled into a watchful crouch. _How could this happen?_ He asked wearily. _How can part of my mind just pick up and leave. _Rurouni shook his head. _Sessha does not know. But then again, sessha does not know much about Battousai himself. Nobody does. _Kenshin snorted lightly in reply.

Rurouni watched his host gently, a mixture of fondness and steely determination on his face. He sighed and rubbed the cross shaped scar on his cheek. _Kenshin, go to sleep, de gozaru. You have school tomorrow. _

_No, I don't_, the host said grumpily. _Tomorrow is Tell-it-to-the-Shrink-Day. No school for Kenshin. _Rurouni rolled his eyes and shoved the boy lightly, pushing him out of the haven of his mind. _Go to sleep anyway. It'll be good for you, de gozaru. _

Kenshin huffed in annoyance. _Yes, mother,_ he grumbled as he faded away from the darkness of his mind and into the darkness of his lonely room. _Good night. _

* * *

Kaoru stared in wonder at she gazed up at the Himura mansion. The house was huge, easily double or triple the size of the dojo; and the dojo was no scrap of land. She gulped nervously, approaching the front door slowly, a feeling of doom settling in the pit of her stomach. _Kenshin never said anything about being rich. _

She rang the doorbell, stepping back and craning her neck upwards to take in the sheer magnitude of Kenshin's home. From what she could see, the house was three stories high, made of old, sturdy looking rocks with impeccable shrubbery. _Hot damn, would I like to live here!_

The door swung open rather abruptly and Kaoru's gaze snapped back down. "I told you people, I _don't _want any of your goddamned gizmos!" The girl blinked as she stared at the red headed teen, watching as a slow blush slowly suffused Kenshin's face. "Sorry," he muttered, stepping aside to let her in. "Thought you were somebody else."

She giggled as she stepped inside. "Oh you did, did you?" she grinned, before stopping and drooling in absolute adoration. "Oh my FRICKIN _god_, I love your house!" The interior was, well, amazingly neat and beautifully arranged. Kenshin coughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "Um…I'm glad you like it?" With a last envious glance at the couch, she turned back to her friend, dropping an armload of books and papers into his surprised hands. "I got all your homework and lessons for you," she said offhandedly. "Your teachers hope you'll get well soon and Misao wants me to remind you there's Kendo club Tuesday."

Kenshin groaned, dropping his head tiredly. "This day just gets better and better, doesn't it?" He hitched the pile onto his sweatpants clad hip and headed for the kitchen, glancing behind him briefly. "Coming?"

Kaoru followed him, blue eyes wide as she took in the huge, airy kitchen. "Hey, Kenshin. Is your uncle rich?" she asked, gazing at the marble topped counters with something akin to hero worship. He shrugged loosely, dropping the books onto the counter and heading for the fridge. "You want anything to eat? Drink?" She shook her head.

"Why weren't you in school?" she asked curiously, watching as the teen puttered around the gigantic kitchen. He shrugged lightly, almost listlessly. "Didn't feel so good," he muttered quietly. And indeed, he didn't look that well either. His clothes were wrinkled and his blazing hair was a sleep-rumpled mess. He had slight bags under his eyes though his smile was as bright as ever. "You okay, then?" she asked. "You look like crap."

He plopped into a seat next to her with a glass of Pepsi at his hand. "I'm well enough," he said tiredly. He managed a smile for the girl. "I'll be fine, Kaoru-dono," he reassured her. The girl raised an eyebrow. He pouted childishly. "What? You don't believe me?" Kaoru continued her pointed gaze. The red head sighed in defeat and dropped his head into the crook of the dojo girl's neck. "Alright, I admit, I'm not okay," he acquiesced. "But I will be."

Kaoru ran her fingers through the boy's messy hair, earning her a contented purr from the red head. She smiled and continued.

The pair stayed that way for well over an hour.

**Finis**

**

* * *

Inkblot: Review Please! I'm a sucker for them!**

* * *


End file.
